Brake rotor



c. E. TACK BRAKE ROTOR 2 Sheets-She'et Filed Dec. 30, 1942 NVENTOR.

Feb. s., 1945.

Feb. 6, 1945u c. E. TACK BRAKE ROTOR Filed Dec. so. 1942 sneeisfsheet .2

Patented Feb. 6, 1945 wel BRAKE RoToR Carl E. Tack, Chicago, I ll., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill.,`

of New Jersey a corporation Application December so, 1942, serial No. 470,551

'9 claims. (c1. y18a- 264) This invention relates to brake equipment and more particularly to a brake disc or rotor of the centrifugal or peripheral blower type, said rotor being particularly adapted for railway brake equipment but being capable of utilization for any suitable purpose.

My novel rotor may be of the single blower type orit may be a double blower rotor of the form shown and more fully described in my Patent No. 2,350,970, issued June 6, 1944.

My novel rotor comprehends a structure in which a plurality of friction plates are spaced by brace'means comprising blower blades extending transversely of the rotor.

An object of my invention is to provide means facilitating expansion and contraction of the friction plates by providing slots therein, said slots dividing each plate into a plurality of` substantially co-planar concentric members.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for displacing the film of air normally adhering to and rotating with the friction surface of each plate, said lm acting as an insulator to diminish heat dissipation from'said surface.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation of my novel rotor, and Figure 2 is an edge elevation taken from the right as seen in Figure 1 and partly in section, vthe section being taken in the radial plane indicated by the line 2---2v of Figure l. l. f l

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the radial plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1. f

Figures 4 to 6 inclusive are fragmentary sectional views taken in respective planes corresponding to that of Figure 3 and each showing a modification of my invention.

Describing my invention in detail and referring first to the modificati-on shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, my. novel rotor comprises the spaced friction plates 2,l 2 preferably of annularform and having respectively theV central openings 4,14 therethrough to afford air inlets to the chamber vl between the plates. The plates 2, 2 are formed with friction surfaces8,. 8 4on theA outer surfaces thereof, and said 'plates are connected by means of transverse blades Ill, l to the central support member I2 which may be interposed be tween said plates. It will be understood that the blades l0, ID serve as braces or columns to resist braking forces applied to the surfaces 8, 8, and said blades also function to throw air outwardly from the chamber 6 during rotation of the rotor which thus acts as a centrifugal blower,l

air being drawn into the chambers mrqugntne openings A, 4 and beingthrown,outwardlyuby the blades I0, I!) from the outer periphery of vthe rotor.

, TheA support member l2 may be somewhat bell-l shaped in form and may be provided on the inner `perimeter thereof with a` hub LIll having fa' bore I6 for the receptionof vpositioning means on an associated rotating member to which the rotor may be secured by any convenient means, extending through openings I 8, I8 which may be conveniently formed in the hub i4 for that purpose. e

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in `the art that heat will be developed in the plates 2, 2 as braking pressure is applied to the sur.- faces 8, 8 whereby the plates will tend to expand and contract radially as they are respectively heated and cooled. This expansion or contrac` tion may tend to cause `cracksyor checks in vthe plates, and to avoid this condition I provide slots 20, 20 of preferably annular contour and extending through the platesand the adjacent edges of the blades I U, I0, said slots dividing` the respective plates into a plurality of substantially co-planar concentric members, thus facilitating expansion and contraction of the plates as above described. It will be apparent that while the slots areherein shown as circular in contour, they may be of any desired configuration. n

It will be.understo od that the air adjacent the surfaces 8, grotates therewith in what may be termed laminar flow, inasmuch as saidA air tends torotate in layers, the rate of rotation pf said `layers being proportionate to their distance from the surfaces 88; vand it will also be understood that-thelayer of air immediately adjacent each surface 8y tends to rotate at substantially` the same speed therewith and to form 'an insulating film thereon, thereby` diminishing heat dissipation from said surface. The slots 20, 20 may afford displacement of the, films of air normally rotating with the surfaces 8, 8 of therespective plates 2, 2 by affording air passages therethrough,A and itwill be understoodthat 'as differences in air vpressure are built up, ahead Aof and behind the friction shoes engagingthesurfaces 8, 8, air may pass outwardly and inwardly through the slots 28, 20, thus displacing the insulating films of air inwardly or outwardly with respect to the cham ber 6 as desired.

. Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view comparable to Figure 3 and shows a modification of ymy invention in which each friction plate 52 of the rotor generally designated 54 is provided with an annular projection 56 radially outwardly of the slot 58 through the plate 52, said projection 56 serving as a bale or scoopto build up air pressure within the chamber 60- between the vfrietion plates in. such manner that'. during rotation of the rotor air will at all times fiow outwardly through the slot 58 despite any differences of air pressure built up ahead of and behind the fricn tion shoe engaging the friction surface 62 of each plate 52. i

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view comparable to that of Figure 3 and showing still another modification of my invention in which tween said plates, air passages extending through said lllates and interrupting the friction surfaces on the outer sides thereof, and means for directv of each slot..

each friction plate |02 is provided with a plurality of concentric slots |04, |04 dividing said plate into. a plurality of substantially co-planar concentric members. The-friction plates |02, |02 are connected by blades-106, |06 to a central. support member |08, as in the previous modifications, and it will be understood that the modi"- cation shown in Figure 5 is substantially identical with that. shown in Figure 3 except for the fact that each plate. |02 is provided with a plurality of slots |04, |04. It will be further understood that each plate |02 may be provided with any desired number of slots |04, |04'.

Still another modification of my invention is shown in Figure 6, a sectional viewv comparable to that. of Figure 3. In this, modification the supportmemlcerv 202 is integrally formed with the inner perimeter of one ofthe spaced friction plates 204, 204, said' plates being provided with slots. 206, 206 and being connectedA to each other by means of blades 208, 208, asv in the previous modifications. The support member 202 is provided with a hub 2|0 having a bore 2|2 anda plurality of' openings 2 I4, 2|4 alfording securement. to an associated rotating; member, as described. for the modification shofwn in Figures' 1 to 3 inclusive, andl itwill be understood that the modification shown in Figure 6 is substantially identical with thatv shown in Figures 1 to 3 except that the support member 202 is integrally formed with the inner perimeter of one of the friction plates- 204', 2.04 wherebyy the rotorV will function as a single blower rotor, drawing air r Ainto the chamber 2|6 between the platesV 204, 204

3. In a brake rotor, a substantially annular plate, a plurality of blades formed on one side thereof anda friction surface on the opposite side, means affording rotation of: said plate, a slot through said plate transversely thereof and ex'- tending entirely therearound, andmeans for di'- recting fluid through said slotA during rotation -ofk saidI plate;

4. `In a brake rotor, a plurality of concentrically arranged substantially co-planar annular plates, means maintaining said plates' in said relationship vand permitting independent -expansion and contraction thereof caused by heat developed during braking engagement with associated friction means, and means for directing fluid ybetween sai-d plates during rotation of said rotor.

5; In a rotor, a plurality of substantially annular plates, a plurality of blades extending therebetween, means affording supportv for said plates from an associated rotating member, a slot through certain of said plates transversely thereair outwardly through said slots during said rolimited by the. exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely byway of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent'to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the vscope of the claims.l

duringrotation of said rotor;

tation.

8. In a brake rotor, va substantiallyl annular plate; at least one annular slotk through said plate andv concentric therewith, means on one side of said plate affording support therefor :froml an associated rotating member, 'and'` means` for directing uid through said slot during rotating of said rotor. .Y

9. In a rotor, a plurality of concentrically ar,- ranged substantially annular brake platesv presenting yco-planar friction surfaces on one side thereof, support means for said plates, and means for directing fluid between said .plates CARL E; TACK; f4 

